Human diversity makes tolerance more than a virtue;
it makes it a requirement for survival.
- Rene Dubos

On June 30th, 2012 twenty-two Northeastern University students flew
into Sarajevo International Airport to embark on a Dialogue of
Civilizations program entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Conflict Resolution and EU Accession
Politicsâ&#x20AC;?. Over the course of one month we traveled across Bosnia &
Herzegovina and Serbia to meet with politicians, diplomats,
university students, religious leaders, and members of civil society
(including group favorite, Maja Osmanagic!). The experience
garnered tactile insights into the difficulties, aspirations, and
quotidian affairs of persons throughout the Balkans; the region
revealed a slough of unresolved tensions. I leave the former Yugoslav
territory confounded with more questions than when I arrived.

Sarajevo is lauded for its natural and architectural beauty. Nestled in
verdant hillsides and divided by a slowly flowing river, the red roofs
of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s modest houses emit a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The heart of Sarajevo is enlivened by local culture and a bustling flow
of tourists who can walk the modern streets of Europe at one moment
and submerge themselves in a Middle Eastern bazaar the next. This
juxtaposition was a source of constant intrigue. Of further interest, a
keen eye could sporadically spot remnants of the war in the form of
shrapnel-scarred sidewalks (marked by the red Sarajevo Rose, seen
above) and more apparent derelict
buildings that have been left
untouched for seventeen years.
This destruction serves as a daily
reminder of the ethnic divisions
that incited conflict between
Bosniaks and Serbians.

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
PRESIDENCY

BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
PRESIDENCY

Mid-meeting we were slightly taken aback by a spontaneous visit by
Bosniak President Bakir Izetbegovic. When the president entered the
meeting room we stood in unison, methodically shook his hand, and
listened as he shared his appreciation for having taken our time to
understand the political difficulties confronting the Bosnian
government. Several days later, I recognized President Izetbegovic on
the street outside the Presidential Palace during the Srebrenica
memorial procession â&#x20AC;&#x201C; his presence reflected his solidarity with the
countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still-grieving citizenry.